Sharjah: Kalimat Foundation’s “ARA Initiative” has organised an inclusive discussion circle at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah to advance the implementation of the “Marrakesh Treaty” provisions administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
The inclusive discussion circle hosted Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, President of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, and ARA Initiative’s new sponsors, “Sharjah Charity International” and “Sharjah Islamic Bank.”
The session aimed to exchange ideas on the best practices to expand the options for publishing accessible books for blind and visually impaired children as well as enable them to access knowledge sources.
Journalist Dr. Abdul Salam Al Hammadi, from the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, moderated the event with Ms. Reem Jassim, Manager of Special Initiatives at Kalimat Foundation, and Dr. Muhammad Mustafa al-Nabali, supervisor of the education system at the Royal Academy for the Blind in Jordan.
The session was attended by several representatives of cultural and social entities and institutions, including Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, the Emirates Schools Establishment, and the Emirates Association of the Visually Impaired, in addition to publishing houses as well as blind and visually impaired youth, their sighted peers, and their parents.
Sheikha Jameela remarked that “thousands of children and youth who are visually impaired due to health reasons are fully capable of acquiring knowledge and expanding their intellect. This challenge has motivated many blind individuals to excel in various fields and contribute to community development in the long term.”
Ms. Amna Al Mazmi, Manager of KF, shared that “our initiatives to provide greater access to knowledge resources for the blind and visually impaired can have a more significant impact through new partnerships and collaborations with various entities. By doing so, we maximise the potential of the Marrakesh Treaty licence, which allows us to reproduce books in accessible formats and increase the number of books accessible to the blind and visually impaired. We will continue to engage more entities and publishing houses to fulfil children and youth’s thirst for knowledge.”
Finally, the participants presented ideas and visions for workshops, events, and activities targeting that segment to instill a culture of reading in them.